Twists: Anatomy, Asana, and Energetics

Twists: Anatomy, Asana, and Energetics

In this 3-part course with Judith Hanson Lasater (two lectures, plus a practice video), you will learn about the numerous benefits of twisting postures and how to best take advantage of these.

Judith will explore how to use twists to promote a healthy balance for the organs in the chest and abdomen, as well as explore the theories of why yoga twists work.

Also learn about the common drawbacks of twisting postures, particularly in regards to the sacroiliac joint.

Twisting poses are a leading cause of SI joint injury in yoga, and Judith will discuss how to safely anchor yourself before moving into your next twist.

The course focuses on specific twisting poses that create a healthy balance of the organs in the chest and abdomen, and explores the theories of why they work. You will come away with some wonderful new insights into one of yoga's most beneficial posture groups, which often takes second stage to its cousins, the glamorous backbends and soothing forward bends. 

Bonus #1: Judith Hanson Lasater: Practicing for the Whole Self: The True Nature of Yoga Asanas

We tend to think of asana as a purely physical practice. In fact, as Judith Hanson Lasater shows in this bonus talk, asana is so much more than that.

Asana teaches us to get more in touch with our body. They invite us to feel the sensation of the pose and to stay present with that. In the process, we begin to develop greater body awareness, greater interoception and greater kinesthetic intelligence.

What we are doing with asana is radically shifting our perspective through the avenue of the intelligence of the body, Judith notes. Learn how listening to the sensation of the body can open our awareness to a wholeness of vast and deep and primordial intelligence that we are not usually in touch with.

Bonus #2: Moving from the Organs - The Other Side of Twisting Postures with Judith Hanson Lasater

We often focus on practicing poses from the spine, arms and legs, notes Judith Hanson Lasater in this talk. But the ancient teachings of yoga also dealt with opening and quieting the organs of the body, like the heart, kidneys and liver that are found in the “kunda” or vessel holding these organs.

In this bonus video, Judith Hanson Lasater focuses on specific twisting poses that create a healthy balance of the organs in the chest and abdomen, as well as explore the theories of why they work.

Take a Sneak Peek at Judith's Slides:

How Twists Can Enhance the Health of the Intervertebral Discs

Trikonasana Revisited: Moving from the Abdominals

The Dual Movement of the Facet Joints in Spinal Twists

What Does It Mean to Move From the Organs and How Do We Do It?​​